Connecting electrical units



July21,1964 ,E1-,KEW 3,141,957

CONNECTING ELECTRICAL UNITS Filed May 18, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1cu/eeE/vr .sal/fece A Tron/ver July 21, 1964y E- F- KEI-M 3,141,957

CONNECTING ELECTRICAL UNITS r mmxmmmm\\\\\mmxlf a5 l A a4 INI/ENTOR.[vz-'effi' x." /YEL M Raw@ rroeNcY United States Patent O York Filed May18, 1962, Ser. No. 195,784 7 Claims. (Cl. '219-351) This inventionrelates to means for effecting electrical connections among a pluralityof units whereby all units are supplied with electrical current from asingle input station and wherein units may be added to r subtracted fromthe system easily and without disturbing other units.

The invention has utility in systems of electrically operated unitswherein it is desired to provide a variable pattern of units orsubstantially to cover a specified area with such units. In particular,the invention may be utilized, for example, in supplying electricalcurrent to a plurality of heating panels or to a plurality of luminairespositioned along a plane surface such as a wall or a ceiling.

The invention comprises, in general, a plurality of electrical units,each unit having at least two electrical terminals arranged along astraight line forming an angle of 45 with the sides of a rectangularcorner of the unit, the units being electrically connected by means ofconnectors having at least four terminals complementary t0 the terminalson the units and arranged at least two each along two mutuallyperpendicular lines.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. l is a plan view of four electrical heating panels connectedaccording to the invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view, partly cut away, of a connectorutilized in joining the panels of FIG. l,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 or" FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a corner of a heating panel of FIG. lillustrating the construction of the terminals thereof,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 represents four identical heatingpanels designated respectively by the numerals 2t?, 21, 22, and 23.Since the panels are identical, their construction will be describedwith reference to panel 23. This panel comprises glass plate 24supported by metal frame Z5 and having thereon an electricallyconductive coating 2&6, which may be any one of numerous suitablecompositions well known in the art, for example tin oxide. Coating 26has fired-on silver electrodes 27 and 32 at its respective ends. Thepanel is provided with two sets of three terminals each, the setscomprising respectively terminals 28, 29 and 30 and terminals 34, 3S and36. The sets are located at rectangular corners of panel 23, and therespective terminals fall along lines forming angles of 45 with thesides of frame 25, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Each of the sets comprisestwo outer current-carrying terminals and an inner ground terminal.Terminals 3@ and 36 are connected, by means of conducting strips 3l and3'7 respectively, to electrodes 32 and 27 respectively. Such aconnection is illustrated in FIG. 6. Terminals 28 and 34 are connectedby means of insulated wires 33 and 33 to terminals 36 and 30respectively. Thus, each set of terminals of panel 23 has its outer,current-carrying terminals connected to opposite electrodes ofconductive coating 26, and hence, when a potential is applied acrossthese terminals, a current ilows through coating 26 thereby producingheat. Each of the inner terminals 29 and 3S is grounded to frame 25, bymeans of a conducting strip such as 39 of FIG.

6. Thus, when an electrical potential is imposed across either set ofouter terminals, a potential is imposed not only across coating 26 butalso across the other set of outer terminals, and when one innerterminal is grounded the other is also grounded, by means of theelectrical connection through frame 25.

The connectors of the present invention are constructed to utilize theselast-mentioned facts. All connectors are identical and are illustratedby connector 40 of FIGS. 2 and 3. Connector 40 comprises two sets eachhaving three terminals, such as 41, adapted for mating with therespective terminals of the panels. In the illustrated embodiment theconnector terminals and panel terminals are respectively male and femaleelements, but it will be understood that any other convenientarrangement may be employed for effecting electrical contact. Therespective connector terminals of the two sets are oriented along twomutually perpendicular lines, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and areconnected by electrically conducting strips such as 42 of FIG. 2. Thus,when two panels are connected by means of connector 40, electricalcontact is effected between the inner terminals of the two panels andbetween the respective outer terminals of the panels by means ofconducting strips 42, which are illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 forclarity of illustration by means of the broken lines connecting therespective terminals.

Thus, when a potential is imposed across the outer terminals of eitherset of terminals ot a given panel, a potential is imposed across theouter terminals of the remaining set of the same panel. If thisremaining set is then linked to one of the sets of a second panel bymeans of a connector such as 40, a potential results across the outerterminals of that set, which is similarly transmitted to the remainingset of terminals of that panel. Thus, each set of outer terminals canserve both to energize the conductive coating and to transmit current toanother panel. In like manner, the inner ground terminals are connectedfrom one panel to another. By this process current entering panel 20 atthe location indicated in FIG. 1 both energizes the coating of thatpanel, and is transmitted to panel 21 and energizes the coating thereon,and so on until all four of the illustrated panels become operative. Itwill be observed that there is provided a parallel electrical circuitamong the respective panels, and hence, even though one or more panelsbecome defective, current will continue to ow through the remainingpanels.

It will be understood that the positions of the terminals within therespective sets may be altered as long as the electrical circuitryremains as illustrated. For example, the ground terminal of each setcould be placed as an outer terminal as long as the electricalconnections remain unchanged and as long as the arrangement is identicalfor each set of terminals of each panel. It will be further understoodthat the ground terminal can be eliminated from the system completely.

The respective sets of panel terminals have been made to fall alonglines forming angles of 45 with the edges of the respective panels inorder to make possible the various relative orientations between therespective panels illustrated in FIG. l. Thus, it can' be seen that thisconfiguration allows identical connectors to be utilized in connectingidentical panels in end-to-end relation, as are panels 20 and 21, inside-to-end relation, as are panels 21 and 22, and in side-to-siderelation, as are panels 22 and 23, and that the rigidity of theconnectors assists in maintaining the relative orientations of thepanels. The result is that numerous patterns of units can be constructedusing only one conguration of panel and one configuration of connector.Since the only requirement relating to terminal orientation on thepanels is that they fall along lines forming 45 angles with the sides ofthe panels at the respective corners, it will be seen that each of theillustrated sets of panel terminals could fall along lines perpendicularto those illustrated; that is, the lines, instead of forming isoscelestriangles with the edges of the panels, may just as well bisect thecorner angles. In such case no change would need to be made in theconfiguration of connectors 40.

The panels of FIG. 1 have been shown each having two sets of terminalslocated at two corners. It will be understood that, if so desired,additional terminals may be provided at the remaining corners and may beconnected to the illustrated terminals in order to permit additionalpanels to be connected to the panels at these remaining corners. Sincesuch additional terminals would be only for the transfer of current toadditional panels, they would not have electrical connections with theelectrically conductive coatings on their respective panels. It will beseen, however, that such additional terminals, although Within the scopeof the present invention will only rarely be necessary, since any numberof panels of the type illustrated may be connected together.

The illustrated panels are constructed in the form of rectangles havinglength-to-width ratios of 2:1 to facilitate arranging pluralities ofpanels solidly to cover rectangular areas such as walls and ceilings. Itwill be understood that this shape, although advantageous, is notnecessary, and other shapes may be employed. For example, the panels maybe in the form of squares.

Although the present invention has been illustrated as employed inconnecting heating panels, it will be apparent that other forms ofelectrical units may be connected in the same manner. It may be foundadvantageous, for example, to utilize the invention in connecting otheroperating components, such as fluorescent lighting fixtures. It will befurther apparent to those skilled in the art that variations in theconstruction of the panels and connectors may be made within the scopeof the present invention, and accordingly, it is intended that thepresent invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination of a plurality of electrically operated units, eachsaid unit having a substantially rectangular base and including anoperating component, each of said units having at each of at least tworectangular corners of said base a set of at least two electricalterminals, said sets of terminals being located respectively along linesforming angles of 45 with the sides of said rectangular base in theplane of said base, in at least one said unit a first terminal of afirst of said sets being electrically connected with said operatingcomponent and with a first terminal of a second of said sets and asecond terminal of said second set being electrically connected withsaid operating component and with a second terminal of said first set,and joining at least two of said units a connector comprising two setseach having at least two terminals electrically insulated from oneanother, said sets of connector terminals being respectively arrangedalong two mutually perpendicular lines, each of said terminals of eachof said sets of connector terminals being electrically connected to aterminal of the other said set and to a terminal of one of said units toeffect electrical connection between said units.

2. The combination according to claim 1 in which each said basecomprises a conducting metal, each of said sets of terminals of eachsaid unit includes a third terminal electrically connected to said base,and each of said sets of connector terminals includes a third terminal,said third terminals of said connector being electrically interconnectedand each being electrically connected to one of said third terminals ofsaid units.

3. The combination according to claim 1 in which each of saidrectangular bases has sides in the ratio 2:1.

4. An electrically operated unit having a substantially rectangular baseand including an operating component, said unit having at each of atleast two rectangular corners thereof a set of at least two electricalterminals, said sets of terminals being located respectively along linesforming angles of 45 with the sides of said rectangular base in theplane of said base, a first terminal of a first of said sets beingelectrically connected with said operating component and with a firstterminal of a second of said sets and a second terminal of said secondset being electrically connected with said operating component and witha second terminal of said first set.

5. A unit according to claim 4 in which said base comprises a conductingmetal and each of said sets of terminals includes a third terminalelectrically connected to said base.

6. The combination of a plurality of electrically operated heatingpanels, each comprising a generally flat rectangular metal framesupporting a glass plate having an electrically conducting coatingthereon, each of said panels having at each of at least two rectangularcorners thereof a set of at least two electrical terminals, said sets ofterminals being located respectively along mutually perpendicular linesforming angles of 45 with the sides of said rectangular base in theplane of said base, in each said panel a first terminal of a first ofsaid sets being electrically connected with said electrically conductingcoating and with a first terminal of a second of said sets and a secondterminal of said second set being electrically connected with saidelectrically conducting coating and with a second terminal of said firstset, and joining at least two of said panels a connector comprising twosets each having at least two terminals electrically insulated from oneanother, said sets of connector terminals being respectively arrangedalong two mutually perpendicular lines, each of said terminals of eachof said sets of connector terminals being electrically connected to aterminal of the other said set and to a terminal of one of said panelsto effect electrical connection between said panels.

7. The combination according to claim 6 in which each of said sets ofterminals of each said panel includes athird terminal electricallyconnected to said base, and each of said sets of connector terminalsincludes a third terminal, said third terminals of said connector beingelectrically interconnected and each being electrically connected to oneof said third terminals of said panels.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 473,848Mayer Apr. 26, 1892 1,652,708 De Leeuw Dec. 13, 1927 2,569,961 Tidd Oct.2, 1951 2,594,069 Poehlmann Apr. 22, 1952 2,608,634 Abbott Aug. 26, 19522,746,680 Maul May 22, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 531,116 France Oct. 15, 1921

4. AN ELECTRICAL OPERATED UNIT HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR BASEAND INCLUDING AN OPERATING COMPONENT, SAID UNIT HAVING AT EACH OF ATLEAST TWO RECTANGULAR CORNERS THEREOF A SET OF AT LEAST TWO ELECTRICALTERMINALS, SAID SETS OF TERMINALS BEING LOCATED RESPECTIVELY ALONG LINESFORMING ANGLES OF 45* WITH THE SIDES OF SAID RECTANGULAR BASE IN THEPLANE OF SAID BASE, A FIRST TERMINAL OF A FIRST OF SAID SETS BEINGELECTRICALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID OPERATING COMPONENT AND WITH A FIRSTTERMINAL OF A SECOND OF SAID SETS AND A SECOND TERMINAL OF SAID SECONDSET BEING ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID OPERATING COMPONENT AND WITHA SECOND TERMINAL OF SAID FIRST SET.